ASTRO MED INC /NEW/
S-8, 1997-07-29
COMPUTER PERIPHERAL EQUIPMENT, NEC
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                                            Registration Statement No. _________
         ===============================================================
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                           --------------------------

                                    FORM S-8
             Registration Statement Under the Securities Act of 1933
                           --------------------------

                                 Astro-Med, Inc.
               (Exact name of issuer as specified in its charter)

Rhode Island                                                    05-0318215
(State or other jurisdic-                                    (I.R.S. Employer
 tion of incorporation)                                     Identification No.)

                            600 East Greenwich Avenue
                           West Warwick, Rhode Island
                                 (401) 828-4000
               (Address, including zip code, and telephone number,
                 including area code, of registrant's principal
                               executive offices)

          1989 Non-Qualified Stock Option Plan as Amended May 28, 1991
                            (Full title of the Plan)

   Joseph P. O'Connell, Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
                                 Astro-Med, Inc.
                            600 East Greenwich Avenue
                             West Warwick, RI 02893
                                 (401) 828-4000
                (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone
                number, including area code, of agent for service
                                   of process)

                                    Copy to:

                            Margaret D. Farrell, Esq.
                            Hinckley, Allen & Snyder
                                1500 Fleet Center
                         Providence, Rhode Island 02903
                                 (401) 274-2000

If any of the  securities  being  registered on this form are to be offered on a
delay or continuous  basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933
check the following box. [x]

                                                         Exhibit Index on Page 8


<PAGE>


===============================================================================
                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
===============================================================================

Title of
Each Class of   Proposed       Proposed
Securities      Amount         Maximum           Maximum           Amount
to be           to be          Offering Price    Aggregate         Registration
Registered      Registered     Per Share(*)      Offering Price    Fee
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Common Stock    100,000        $8.50             $850,000          $257.58
(par value
$.05)
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(*) Computed  pursuant to Rule 457(h) solely for the purpose of determining  the
registration  fee,  based  on the  average  of the high  and low  prices  of the
Registrant's Common Stock as reported by NASDAQ on July 28, 1997.




<PAGE>

                                     PART II

                   INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN THE PROSPECTUS

Item 3.  Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference.

     The  following   documents   heretofore  filed  by  Astro-Med,   Inc.  (the
"Registrant")  with the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission  pursuant  to the
Securities   Exchange  Act  of  1934,  as  amended  (the  "Exchange   Act")  are
incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement:

     (a) The  Registrant's  latest  annual  report  on  Form  10-K,  or,  if the
financial   statements  therein  are  more  current,   the  Registrant's  latest
prospectus,  other than the  prospectus of which this document is a part,  filed
pursuant  to Rule  424(b)  under the  Securities  Act of 1933,  as amended  (the
"Securities Act").

     (b) All other reports filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a) or
15(d) of the Exchange Act since the end of the fiscal year covered by the annual
report or the prospectus referred to in (a) above.

     (c) The  description  of the  Registrant's  Common  Stock  contained in the
Registrant's  Registration Statement filed under Section 12 of the Exchange Act,
including  any  amendment  or reports  filed for the  purpose of  updating  such
description.

     All documents  subsequently  filed by the  Registrant  pursuant to Sections
13(a),  13(c),  14 and  15(d) of the  Exchange  Act,  prior to the  filing  of a
post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement which indicates that all
of the shares of Common Stock offered have been sold or which  de-registers  all
of such shares then  remaining  unsold,  shall be deemed to be  incorporated  by
reference in this  Registration  Statement and to be a part hereof from the date
of filing of such documents.  Any statement contained in a document incorporated
or deemed to be incorporated by reference  herein shall be deemed to be modified
or superseded for purposes of this  Registration  Statement to the extent that a
statement  contained  herein or in any other  subsequently  filed document which
also  is or is  deemed  to be  incorporated  by  reference  herein  modifies  or
supersedes  such statement.  Any such statement so modified or superseded  shall
not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this
Registration Statement.

Item 4. Description of Securities.

     Not applicable.

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

     Certain  legal  matters in  connection  with the  validity of the shares of
Common  Stock  offered  hereby  have  been  passed  upon for the  Registrant  by
Hinckley,  Allen & Snyder,  1500 Fleet Center,  Providence,  Rhode Island 02903.
Jacques V. Hopkins, a partner of Hinckley,  Allen & Snyder, is a Director of the
Registrant.  Margaret D. Farrell, also a partner of Hinckley, Allen & Snyder, is
the Secretary of the Registrant. Attorneys practicing with the firm of Hinckley,
Allen & Snyder collectively own 8,500 shares of the Registrant's Common Stock.

Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

     Section  7.1  of the  Rhode  Island  Business  Corporation  Act  authorizes
indemnification of directors and officers of Rhode Island corporations.  Article
IX of the Registrant's  by-laws (i) authorizes the  indemnification of directors
and officers (the  "Indemnified  Persons") under specified  circumstances to the
fullest extent authorized,  (ii) provides for the advancement of expenses to the
Indemnified  Persons for  defending  any  proceedings  related to the  specified
circumstances,  and (iii) gives the Indemnified  Persons the right to bring suit
against the Registrant to enforce the foregoing  rights to  indemnification  and
advancement of expenses. The Registrant currently maintains one or more policies
of insurance  under which the directors and officers of Registrant  are insured,
within the  limits  and  subject to the  limitations  of the  policies,  against
certain  expenses  in  connection  with  the  defense  of  actions,   suits,  or
proceedings,  and certain liabilities which might be imposed as a result of such
actions,  suits or proceedings,  to which they are parties by reason of being or
having been such directors or officers.

Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.

     Not applicable.

Item 8. Exhibits.

     A list of the exhibits included as part of this  Registration  Statement is
set forth in the Exhibit Index which  immediately  precedes such exhibits and is
hereby incorporated by reference herein.

Item 9. Undertakings.

(a) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

        (1) To file,  during any period in which offers or sales are being made,
         a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

          (i)  To include any  prospectus  required  by Section  10(a)(3) of the
               Securities Act;

          (ii) To reflect in the  prospectus  any facts or events  arising after
               the effective  date of this  Registration  Statement (or the most
               recent post-effective  amendment thereof) which,  individually or
               in  the  aggregate,   represent  a  fundamental   change  in  the
               information set forth in this Registration Statement (or the most
               recent post-effective amendment thereof);

          (iii)To include any material  information  with respect to the plan of
               distribution  not previously  disclosed or any material change to
               such information;

         Provided,  however,  that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) shall not
         apply if the  information  required to be included in a  post-effective
         amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by
         the Registrant  pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange
         Act that are incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement.

        (2) That,  for the  purpose  of  determining  any  liability  under  the
         Securities Act, each such  post-effective  amendment shall be deemed to
         be a new  registration  statement  relating to the  securities  offered
         therein,  and the  offering  of such  securities  at that time shall be
         deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

        (3) To remove from  registration by means of a post-effective  amendment
         any of the  securities  being  registered  which  remain  unsold at the
         termination of the offering.

(b)  The  undersigned   Registrant  hereby  undertakes  that,  for  purposes  of
determining  any  liability  under  the  Securities  Act,  each  filing  of  the
Registrant's  annual  report  pursuant to Section  13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act (and, where  applicable,  each filing of an employee benefit plan's
annual  report   pursuant  to  Section  15(d)  of  the  Exchange  Act)  that  is
incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration  statement relating to the securities offered therein,  and the
offering of such  securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

(c) The  undersigned  Registrant  hereby  undertakes  to  deliver or cause to be
delivered with the prospectus,  to each person to whom the prospectus is sent or
given,  the latest annual  report to security  holders that is  incorporated  by
reference  in  the  prospectus  and  furnished   pursuant  to  and  meeting  the
requirements  of Rule 14a-3 or Rule 14c-3 under the  Exchange  Act;  and,  where
interim  financial  information  required  to  be  presented  by  Article  3  of
Regulation S-X is not set forth in the  prospectus,  to deliver,  or cause to be
delivered  to each person to whom the  prospectus  is sent or given,  the latest
quarterly  report  that  is  specifically   incorporated  by  reference  in  the
prospectus to provide such interim financial information.

(d) Insofar as indemnification  for liabilities arising under the Securities Act
may  be  permitted  to  directors,  officers  and  controlling  persons  of  the
Registrant  pursuant to the  provisions  described in Item 6, or otherwise,  the
Registrant  has been advised that in the opinion of the  Securities and Exchange
Commission  such  indemnification  is against  public policy as expressed in the
Securities Act and is, therefore,  unenforceable.  In the event that a claim for
indemnification  against  such  liabilities  (other  than  the  payment  by  the
Registrant of expenses  incurred or paid by a director,  officer or  controlling
person of the  Registrant  in the  successful  defense of any action,  suit,  or
proceeding)  is  asserted by such  director,  officer or  controlling  person in
connection with the securities being registered,  the Registrant will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of  appropriate  jurisdiction  the  question  of whether  such
indemnification  by it is against  public policy as expressed in the  Securities
Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.


<PAGE>


                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant  to  the  requirements  of  the  Securities  Act,  the  Registrant
certifies  that it has  reasonable  grounds to believe  that it meets all of the
requirements  for  filing  on Form S-8 and has  duly  caused  this  Registration
Statement  to be  signed  on its  behalf  of  the  undersigned,  thereunto  duly
authorized, on the 10th day of July, 1997.

                                               ASTRO-MED, INC.

                                               By:   /s/  Albert W. Ondis
                                                     Albert W. Ondis, Chairman
                                                     and Chief Executive Officer

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS,  that each of the undersigned  persons does
hereby   constitute   and  appoint  Joseph  P.  O'Connell  with  full  power  of
substitution his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent for him in his name,
place  and  stead,  in any and all  capacities,  to sign any and all  amendments
(including  post-effective  amendments) to this Registration  Statement,  and to
file the same,  with all exhibits  thereto,  and other  documents in  connection
therewith,  with the  Securities  and Exchange  Commission,  granting  unto said
attorney-in-fact  and agent full power and  authority to do and perform each and
every  act and thing  necessary  to be done in order to  effectuate  the same as
fully,  to all intents and purposes,  as he might or could do in person,  hereby
ratifying and confirming all that said  attorney-in-fact  and agent may lawfully
do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act,  this  Registration
Statement has been signed below by the following  persons in the  capacities and
on the dates indicated.

Signature                      Title                          Date

/s/ Albert W. Ondis            Chairman (Principal            July 10, 1997
Albert W. Ondis                Executive Officer)
                               and Director

/s/ Everett V. Pizzuti         President (Principal           July 10, 1997
Everett V. Pizzuti             Operating Officer)
                               and Director

/s/ Joseph P. O'Connell        Vice President and             July 10, 1997
Joseph P. O'Connell            Treasurer (Principal
                               Financial Officer)

/s/ Arthur Reine               Controller (Principal          July 10, 1997
Arthur Reine                   Accounting Officer)


<PAGE>



/s/ Jacques V. Hopkins         Director                       July 10, 1997
Jacques V. Hopkins

/s/ Hermann Viets              Director                       July 10, 1997
Hermann Viets, Ph.D.

/s/ Neil K. Robertson          Director                       July 10, 1997
Neil K. Robertson


<PAGE>


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


                                                                    SEQUENTIALLY
EXHIBIT                                                             NUMBERED
NUMBER             EXHIBIT                                          PAGE

4.1                Articles of Incorporation of
                   the Registrant, as amended
                   (filed as Exhibit No. 3A to
                   the Registrant's report on
                   Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
                   August 1, 1992 and by this
                   reference incorporated herein)                   N/A

4.2                By-laws of the Registrant, as
                   amended (filed as Exhibit No. 3B
                   to the Registrant's report on Form
                   10-Q for the quarter ended July 30, 1988
                   and by this reference
                   incorporated herein)                             N/A

4.3                1989 Non-Qualified Stock Option Plan
                   of Registrant                                    9

5                  Opinion of Hinckley, Allen & Snyder              14

23.1               Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP                   16

23.2               Consent of Hinckley, Allen &
                   Snyder (contained in their
                   opinion filed as Exhibit 5)                      N/A




                                                                     Exhibit 4.3


This  document  constitutes  a  Prospectus  covering  securities  that have been
registered under the Securities Act of 1933.


                                 ASTRO-MED, INC.

                      1989 NON-QUALIFIED STOCK OPTION PLAN
                            (As Amended May 28, 1991)


     1. Purpose.  The purpose of this 1989 Non-Qualified  Stock Option Plan (the
"Plan")  is to  attract  and  retain  key  employees  of  Astro-Med,  Inc.  (the
"Company") and to provide them with  additional  incentive for unusual  industry
and efficiency by offering an opportunity to acquire a proprietary  stake in the
Company and its future growth.  It is the view of the Company that this goal may
best be achieved by granting stock options.

     2. Administration.  The Plan will be administered by the Board of Directors
of the Company (the "Board"),  whose  interpretation of the terms and provisions
hereof shall be final and conclusive.  Any Director to whom an option is awarded
shall be ineligible  to vote upon his or her option,  but options may be granted
to any eligible  Director by the remainder of the Directors.  The Board shall in
its sole  discretion  grant options to purchase  shares of the Company's  common
stock and issue shares upon  exercise of such  options  subject to the terms and
conditions  hereof.  No Director shall be liable for any action or determination
made in good faith.

     3. Amount of Stock Subject to Plan.  The amount of stock subject to options
which may be granted under this Plan is one hundred thousand (100,000) shares of
the Company's $.05 par value common stock (the "common  stock").  If any options
terminate or expire for any reason  without  having been  exercised in full, the
shares not purchased under the options may again be subjected to options granted
under this Plan.

     4.  Eligibility.  Key employees of the Company or any  subsidiary  shall be
eligible to  participate  in this Plan,  except that  Directors who are not full
time officers or employees shall not be eligible to  participate.  Key employees
shall be those employees,  including officers, who are deemed by the Board to be
of primary importance in the operation of the Company's business.  The Board may
in its  discretion  from  time  to time  grant  options  to any or all  eligible
employees  to purchase  such number of shares as the Board shall  determine.  As
used in this Plan, the term "subsidiary" has the meaning ascribed to "subsidiary
corporation" by Section 424(f) of the Internal  Revenue Code of 1986, as amended
(the "Code").

     5. Option Price and Payment. The option price of the shares of common stock
subject  to each  option  will be fixed by the  Board  but will not be less than
fifty  percent  (50%) of fair market value of the common stock  determined as of
the date of the  granting of the option.  Upon the  exercise of the option,  the
option price may be paid in one or more of the  following  ways, as the Board in
its  discretion  determines:  (i) in full in cash; or (ii) by  exchanging  other
shares of common stock owned by the owner of such option.  The term "fair market
value" shall be deemed to be the mean between the high and low selling prices on
any exchange on which the stock is listed (or  over-the-counter if such stock is
not then listed on such  exchange),  on the date the option is granted or, if no
sale has taken place, the mean between bid and asked prices on such date.

     6. Term of  Option;  Employment  Requirement.  (a) The term of each  option
shall be ten (10) years,  or such  shorter  period as may be  determined  by the
Board,  from the date upon which, by its terms, it becomes  exercisable,  unless
sooner terminated under the provisions of Paragraph 8 or Paragraph 10 below. All
or part of the shares may be purchased, subject to the provisions of Paragraph 8
below, at any time or from time to time during the term of the option. No option
shall be granted after the  termination  of this Plan,  but options  theretofore
granted  may be  exercised  thereafter  in  accordance  with their terms and the
provisions of this Plan.

     (b) Except as otherwise permitted under Paragraph 8 in the case of death of
the holder of an option, no option will be exercisable unless at the time of the
exercise of the option: (i) the holder thereof has been continuously employed by
the  Company,  one or more  subsidiaries,  or both the  Company  and one or more
subsidiaries  for a period of at least one year,  and (ii) the holder thereof is
still employed by the Company or one or more  subsidiaries;  provided,  however,
that if the holder's  employment  has  terminated not more than ninety (90) days
before the exercise of such option under  circumstances  acceptable to the Board
(whose  determination  in this regard shall be final and  conclusive),  then the
option  will  nevertheless  be  exercisable  during the  ninety  (90) day period
notwithstanding  termination of employment;  and provided,  further, that if the
holder's  employment  has  terminated  not more  than one (1)  year  before  the
exercise of such option as a result of the holder becoming  disabled (within the
meaning of Section 22(e) (3) of the Code),  then the option will nevertheless be
exercisable during such one (1) year period.

     (c)  Military  or sick  leave not  exceeding  ninety  (90) days will not be
deemed to interrupt or terminate  employment  for the purposes of this Paragraph
6.  Whether  military  or sick  leave in  excess  of  ninety  (90) days or other
authorized leave of absence will be deemed to interrupt or terminate  employment
for the  purposes  of this  Paragraph  6 will be  determined  by the Board whose
determination shall be final and conclusive.

     7. Other Terms and Conditions; Waivers. Options will be evidenced by option
agreements in such form and  containing  such terms and  conditions as the Board
may determine (but not inconsistent with the provisions of this Plan) including,
without being limited to, the following:

     (a) Each option will be granted on the condition that the purchase of stock
thereunder  will be for  investment  purposes  and not with a view to  resale or
distribution,  except  that  such  condition  will be  inoperative  if the stock
subject  to such  option is  registered  under the  Securities  Act of 1933,  as
amended,  or if in the  opinion of  counsel  for the  Company  such stock may be
resold without registration;

     (b) No option will be transferable by the holder thereof  otherwise than by
will or by the  laws of  descent  and  distribution,  and  such  option  will be
exercisable during the lifetime of the holder thereof only by the holder; and

     (c) The Board, in particular  cases,  before of after the issuance of stock
options under this Plan,  may waive any of the  conditions  imposed by this Plan
upon the issuance or exercise of options.

     8. Termination of Employment Upon Death. In the event an eligible  employee
dies while in the employ of the Company or any subsidiary, and at such time such
employee   holds  options  under  this  Plan,  his  or  her  options  shall  end
automatically  six (6) months  after such death,  unless  sooner  ended by their
terms. Prior to the expiration of such six (6) month period,  during the term of
such  options,  the  executor or  administrator  of the estate of such  eligible
employee shall have the right to exercise any option previously  granted to such
employee hereunder.

     9. Readjustment of Stock or Recapitalization.  Upon any recapitalization or
readjustment of the Company's capital stock whereby the character of the present
common stock shall be changed, appropriate adjustments shall be made so that the
stock to be  purchased  under this Plan shall be the  equivalent  of the present
common  stock after such  readjustment  or  recapitalization.  In the event of a
subdivision or  combination of the shares of common stock,  the number of shares
that may be  optioned  and sold to  eligible  employees  under this Plan will be
proportionately  increased or  decreased  and the number of shares which are the
subject of outstanding  options and the price  therefor will be  proportionately
adjusted by the Board and, in case of  reclassification  or other  change in the
common  stock,  such action will be taken as in the opinion of the Board will be
appropriate  under the  circumstances.  Accordingly,  in such cases the  maximum
number of  authorized  but unissued  shares,  or shares held as treasury  stock,
which are subject to this Plan may be adjusted by the Board without  stockholder
or any other action.

     10. Sale of Assets,  Stock Exchange,  etc. If the Board recommends that the
Company  sell   substantially  all  of  its  assets,  or  that  the  holders  of
substantially  all of the shares of  outstanding  stock sell or  exchange  their
shares to or with any person, firm or corporation,  or that the Company merge or
consolidate  with another  corporation,  or that the Company be  liquidated  and
dissolved,  then in any such event, the Board may by notice in writing mailed or
delivered to each holder of an  outstanding  option set a date (which date shall
be not less than sixty (60) days from the date of mailing or  delivering of such
written  notice) on or before which such  outstanding  options may be exercised,
and all such outstanding options which have not been exercised on or before such
date will thereafter expire and be of no further force and effect.

     11. Term of the Plan.  This Plan shall become  effective on the date of its
approval by the  stockholders,  and subsequent  adoption and ratification by the
Board,  and shall continue in effect until the expiration of ten (10) years from
the date of such  approval  by the  stockholders  unless  sooner  terminated  as
provided  herein.  The powers of the Board shall  continue  in effect  after the
termination  of this Plan,  until  exercise or  expiration  of all options  then
outstanding.

     12.  Amendment and  Termination.  The Board may at any time  terminate this
Plan or amend or alter the same as it deems advisable,  provided, that no action
of the Board may,  except as provided in the Plan,  unless duly  approved by the
shareholders,  (i)  increase the maximum  number of shares  subject to the Plan;
(ii) change the option  price;  or (iii) extend the period  within which options
may be  granted.  No  termination,  amendment  or  alteration  of this Plan may,
without the written  consent of the holder of an outstanding  option,  terminate
such  outstanding  option or materially  and adversely  affect the rights of the
holder thereof except as hereinbefore provided.

     13.  Obligation of the Company to Issue Shares.  Notwithstanding  any other
provision of this Plan,  the Company  shall not be obligated to issue any shares
pursuant to any stock  option  unless or until:  

     (a) the shares  with  respect to which the option is being  exercised  have
been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or are exempt from
such  registration;  

     (b) the prior  approval of such sale or issuance has been obtained from any
state  regulatory body having  jurisdiction;  and 

     (c) in the  event the stock  has been  listed  on any stock  exchange,  the
shares with respect to which the option is being exercised have been duly listed
on such  exchange in  accordance  with the  procedure  specified  therefor.  

     14.  Delegation.  The powers of the Board hereunder may be exercised by any
executive  committee or other committee  which is duly  established by the Board
and to which the powers of the Board hereunder have been  delegated.  

     IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the Company has caused this amended  instrument to be
executed by its duly authorized officer as of the 28th day of May, 1991.

                                           ASTRO-MED, INC.


                                           By   /s/ A. W. Ondis
                                                Albert W. Ondis
                                                Chairman


(Pursuant to Paragraph 11, this Plan became  effective on May 2, 1989,  the date
it was approved by stockholders  and the date it was adopted and ratified by the
Board.)




                                                                       Exhibit 5


                                                              July 18, 1997



Astro-Med, Inc.
600 East Greenwich Avenue
West Warwick, Rhode Island 02893

         RE:      Registration Statement on Form S-8

Gentlemen:

         We have acted as counsel to Astro-Med, Inc., a Rhode Island corporation
(the "Company"),  in connection with the filing by the Company of a Registration
Statement on Form S-8 (the  "Registration  Statement")  with the  Securities and
Exchange  Commission  relating to 100,000 shares of the Company's  common stock,
par value $.05 per share (the  "Common  Stock"),  to be issued  pursuant  to the
Astro-Med,  Inc. 1989  Non-Qualified  Stock Option Plan, as amended May 28, 1991
(the "Plan").

         In  connection  with  this  opinion,  we have  examined  the  Company's
Articles  of  Incorporation,   the  bylaws  of  the  Company,  as  amended,  the
Registration  Statement,  corporate  proceedings of the Company  relating to the
issuance of the Common Stock, the Plan and such other  instruments and documents
as we have deemed relevant under the circumstances.

         In making the aforesaid examination, we have assumed the genuineness of
all signatures and the conformity to original  documents of all copies furnished
to us as original or photostatic copies. We have also assumed that the corporate
records  furnished  to us by  the  Company  include  all  corporate  proceedings
regarding the issuance of the Common Stock taken by the Company to date.

         Based upon and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the
Common  Stock which may be issued  under the Plan has been duly  authorized  and
when  issued in  accordance  with the terms of the Plan will be validly  issued,
fully paid and non-assessable.



<PAGE>


         We hereby  consent to the use of our  opinion as herein set forth as an
exhibit  to the  Registration  Statement.  This  opinion is  rendered  to you in
connection with the  Registration  Statement,  and except as consented to in the
preceding  sentence,  may not be relied upon or furnished to any other person in
any context.  In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are within
the  category  of persons  whose  consent  is  required  under  Section 7 of the
Securities  Act of 1933 or the  rules  and  regulations  of the  Securities  and
Exchange Commission thereunder.

                                                   Very truly yours,


                                                   /s/ Hinckley, Allen & Snyder



                                                                    Exhibit 23.1




                               ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP


                    Consent of Independent Public Accountants






As independent  public  accountants,  we hereby consent to the  incorporation by
reference in this  registration  statement  of our reports  dated March 14, 1997
included in Astro-Med,  Inc.'s Form 10-K for the year ended January 31, 1997 and
to all references to our Firm included in this registration statement.



                                                        /s/ Arthur Andersen LLP



Boston, Massachusetts
July 18, 1997



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